i was telling my mom about how it was supposed to be the band, not the straps supporting her boobage (she's really really big in the chestal region), and she said that even if the band was doing all the 'supporting', if the straps were too loose the girls would bounce everywhere anyway, which makes sense. i'm 38C/36D, and i make sure my straps don't carry any weight, but i can imagine it being difficult to manage once you get to Hs and such sizes

I dunno, I've seen plenty of larger-sized bras in the stores with thin straps. I wouldn't know, but it seems that the weight of what those bras were supporting would cause anything but very wide straps to cut into your skin...?

The researchers are missing the point, me thinks. You should not be wearing your strap tight enough that it digs into your shoulder. It isn't there for support, that's what the band is for. Thin, wide, doesn't matter because it should not be carrying any weight.

Absolutely never thought I'd have something to post on THIS board, but this is from my inbox this morning, from U of Texas Southwestern medical school. No use to me personally, but hope it helps someone here: ________________ Thin is in, but not necessarily for bra straps

Women should take care with underwear support as summer fashion trends minimize. Wearing a thin bra strap too tightly can lead to a nagging headache, say doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

“The binding from the strap puts pressure on the trapezius muscle, which causes strain and knotting of the muscle and may cause headaches or pain that radiates down the arm,” says Dr. Karen Kowalske, UT Southwestern’s chairwoman of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

The pain may take days or weeks to resolve, but there is virtually no permanent damage.

Full-busted women should wear bras with straps that are significantly wider than a standard strap with some padding if possible. Regular straps are too narrow and spaghetti straps are worse.

Hey. I don't know for sure, but i think i'm the only teenager here. I'm 14 years old and a 36DDD, unfortunally. I was wondering if anyone knew of a good website that sold high necked 36DDD one piece swimsuits.. I know that is alot to ask, but i don't have the courage to go into anything else... Thanks in advance.

I got into this because of my daughter. As a teenager, she “grew” up, and out, and began having trouble finding 32DD bras, because she is petite yet full figured.

We went shopping all over town, and found that there are virtually no stores that carry 32DD bras, and the few lingerie stores that do carry brassieres that size have bras that “look like my grandma's bras”, as my daughter says. Most stores couldn't even order bras in the 32DD size.

So, we started buying bras online. However, over the last three years, the supply of 32DD bras has dried up. Most of the websites that used to carry 32 DD bras no longer have them, and the ones that claim to have them are usually “back ordered”, which can mean that you will receive your bras between 4 weeks and never. In the U.K., they do have online full figured brassiere stores with 32DD bras, but the cost is very high($65 - $90), plus expensive shipping charges.

So I did some research, and decided that we could open a store that will carry pretty, comfortable 32DD bras.

I've been living with these girls for 20 years now so have figured out all the brands that work, and will second the comments of those who say most women wear the wrong size. You probably need a smaller back and a larger cup, though that does make it harder to find bras. My favorite brand is Wacoal (expensive, but if you can stand discount shopping, they show up at outlets in the rarer sizes like DDD cups. I'm 32DDD so never find anything at mainstream stores. For sexier stuff, Fantasie/Freya and Felina are good. Felina runs a little small so don't buy without trying on. I just ordered a bikini from Freya from Figleaves.com that looks very James bond. I trust them to make it supportive, but I'll update here when it arrives. I have the long line strapless bustier from Lunaire (also on figleaves) that looks like a madonna video from the 80's and is a little pointy, but it's not going anywhere once you put it on (with the help of a friend, in my case). Champion high impact is the only thing I've found that really works for sports. I've even used it in a triathlon, though being mostly cotton, I know it slowed me down in the water (but I wasn't playing to win anyhow). I'm repeating what I'm sure has been posted here by others in the past, but newbies might want to get this info again. -Mel

i don't like clear straps 'cause they stick. i had a strapless bra that stayed up because it had strips of that same stuff on boning along the side. but on my shoulders/halter style it just feels uncomfortable to me.

i have a bustier from my prom dress, and if i need a strapless for something that sucker comes out. so anything clingy/skintight is out, but i'm okay with that anyways. it's quite the production to get into, mind you. it takes a team, that does :P

i have a question: why do people make completely unsupportive bras in larger sizes? i was looking for a halter bra, and i found one in my size (38 D for that one) and it was like wearing nothing, except uncomfortable. wtf? do people not understand that they bouce? they're mostly fat, they're jiggly, and once they're this size they need to be strapped down for comfort, so why on earth do bras that do nothing exist for us? i mean, when i was smaller (like, in elementary school) i wore bras that offered next to no support just 'cause they were cute or comfy or to hid the nip nips, so i understand them in smaller sizes. i swear, men must be the ones in charge of the bra industry

Hmm, I had to go a size down from what the Enell chart suggested to get one that fit properly. The size that the chart suggested was as you described--too bouncy. The place I go, they move the hooks on the bottom so the smaller size is more comfortable.

Whatever works! I haven't been brave enough to wear a strapless bra since high school. And I don't think I will be any time soon after hearing Oprah's story about how she realised that hers was inching towards her waist one evening!

It's funny, I tried the Enell--with an experienced salesperson checking the fit for me--and I had more bouncing with that than with the Champion Action Shape sports bra. (That model is designed for C/D/DD cup sizes.) I jog regularly and it works well for me.

I don't particularly like the look of the clear bra straps. I know for larger busted ladies (and I feel like someone's pervy uncle saying that) it's so often a choice between style and function, but there are some matters of personal taste I can't compromise on. It occurred to me after I posted that I should look into a well-designed longline or bustier-style strapless bra.

My thought is if they're big, they're going to sag...mine hover between a D and DD and I'm 24 as well...saggage abounds. It just happens, regardless of how much you support them during the day. Gravity and bodies; nothing doing to change that.

And tatiana, I'm about ready to build a little altar to Enell. There is nothing like them in the world!

penelopiad, the sagging comes from stretched ligaments which come from bouncing. There could be one that I haven't seen, but none of the Champion sports bras that I've seen and/or tried on have had anywhere near the support needed for jogging or running, so if that's what you do in your sports bra that's probably why (I am, of course, guessing) :-)

I just got an Enell sports bra and it is the only sports bra I have ever tried on that is suitable for running for, er, women of our build, shall I say? Lots of sports bras claim to be for running, but they usually mean that for the smaller cup sizes, not the bigger ones.

Sorry for going on, but I'm annoyed with myself for not getting a better sports bra sooner, because, yeh, not quite as perky as they could be. :-(

As for the strapless bra thing, would the see through bra straps have worked with your dress? I think there is a strapless, convertible bra from Le Mystere that takes them and there are other "strapless" bras that come with transparent bra straps. Might not have worked with your dress, but worth looking into for next time.

Ow. I had to wear a strapless bra tonight during a wedding (spaghetti straps and low cut dress). I actually came home and put on my Champion sports bra and I feel so much better. I've never really experienced back pain from my breasts before--I'd always heard it was in your lower back, but I felt it more in the middle to upper back and even in my shoulders. Does anyone have suggestions for strapless bras (other than, "don't wear them")?

And I noticed while putting on the strapless that my breasts are starting to sag (I'm 24). Not a lot--I still like the shape--but they're definitely not as perky as they once were. I never thought I'd consider a reduction but it's in the back of my mind now.

I have a swim suit I got a few years ago at a speciality swim suit store, Water Water Everywhere (www.waterwatereverywhere.com), that came in bra sizes, and I want to say that they specialized in bigger sizes. They didn't have a big selection of design, if I recall correctly, but they did have different styles of tops, and many different styles for bottoms.